Roll paper dispensing apparatus



Aug. 9, 1960 F. R. swANsoN Rom. PAPER DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed sept. 2e. 1957 IN V EN TOR.

nan/v 644/4175017.

BY mu/4MM ATTORNEYS U nid `States Patent Q 2,948,451 RoLL PAPER DISPENSING APPARATUS Frank R. Swanson, 607 S. Washington, Owosso, Filed Sept. 26, '1967,ser. No. 686,464

4 Claims. (ci. 22S-fas) l This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing roll paper of the kind used in and around kitchens.`

Considerable use currently is being made by housewives and others of rolled paper such as towelling, waxed paper, aluminum foil, and the like. vSome of the rolls customarily are packed individually in paper cartons or boxes provided with cutting edges, whereas xother's are adapted to be mounted on special supports secured to a wall 4or door. In the case of paper rolls adapted to be kept in their cartons and dispensed from the latter, it frequently happens that the leading end of the paper retra'ctsA into carton between the times a strip is torn oi and another strip is desired. This is a source of constant annoyance to the user. The use of rolls in cartons is further complicated by the necessity of providing space for their storage when they are not in use. Such cartons either must be stored in drawers, cupboards, or the like if they are to be concealed from view. Varioustypes of receptacles have been proposed for use in storing paper rolls, but these usually are of the kind which rest upon a counter top or the like, or, alternatively, comprise simply a bracket mounted on a wall and provide an axis about which the roll may be rotated. In the lirst instance, valuable counter space is taken up by the receptacle and the problem of preventing the leading end 'of the paper from being retracted into the interior of the receptacleis not altogether eliminated. In those instances Where the roll is mounted on brackets secured to a wall, the appearance of the roll and bracket on the wall `is, unsightly. A More-y over, the commonly used wall brackets present 'atp'roblem in tearing oi adesired amountof ythe paper sinc'shearing means cannot be or are not provided.

An object of the present invention is to provide paper roll dispensing apparatus in which the roll may be stored during use without the likelihood of the leading end of the paper being retracted into the dispenser.

Another object of the invention is to provide dispensing means capable of accommodating a plurality of rolls of the same or dilerent kinds of paper.

A further object of the invention is to provide roll paper dispensing lapparatus equipped with tearing or shearing surfaces to facilitate the dispensing of sheets of paper of any desired length.

A still further object of the invention is to provide roll paper dispensing apparatus which is capable of storing paper in a convenient place, but which does not require the sacrifice of counter, cabinet, or drawer space.

A further object of the invention is to provide roll paper dispensing apparatus which may be built into the wall of a kitchen or the like and which presents an attractive appearance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out specically or will become apparent from the following description of the invention when it is considered in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

VFigure 1 is a front elevational view of a dispenser con-v structed in accordance with the invention; r

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l and showing a plurality of paper rolls supported by the apparatus; and

Figure 3 is a view partly in plan and partly in section showing the manner in which a dispenserY may be sup-y ported between two adjacent joists of a building.

A dispenser constructed in accordance with thev illustrative embodiment of the invention is designed generally by the reference character 1 and comprises a generally rectangular, hollow body 2 having a top wall 3, a bottomv wall 4, side walls 5 and arear wall 6, all of which may be joined in any suitable manner. The front of the body is open, but is adapted to be closed when desired by a closure member 7 comprising a panel 8 having a plurality of hinge knuckles 9 at its lower end. The lower wall 4 is equipped with a depending ange 4a on which are mounted corresponding Vknuckles 10 adapted to be received'between the hinge knuckles 9. A hinge pin 11 eX'v tends through the several knuckles to form a hinged mounting for the panel 8. The top and side edges 12 and 13, respectively, of the panel extend beyond the body 2 for a purpose which will be pointed out subsequently.

The panel 8 may be provided with a plurality of slits 14 through which paper may extend from one side of the panel to the other. On the side of the panel which faces the interior of the body when the panel is in a position to close the body, there is provided a plurality of shelf elements 15 corresponding to the number of slits 14 and on which paper rolls 16 may be supported. The shelf .ele-Y ments 15 extend across thepanel 7 substantially horizontally, and each of the shelves 15 is so arranged that it forms` with the panel 8 Ia' substantially V-shaped receptable for the paper roll. Anysuitable means may be used to support the shelf "elements 15 in the disclosed manner, and one convenient ,device for doing so is to provide on each of the shelf parts 15 a ilange 15a having one of its ends integrally joined to the shelf 15 and having itsA other end reverselyturned vasr15b to overlie the lower 1 edge of the correspondingrslit 14and provide a smooth joists 22 as is shown in Figure 3. If desired, the side surface over whichrthe leading end of paper from the roll maybe drawn. Upstanding plates or ears 15' may be welded or otherwise secured to the ends of eachV shelf to prevent longitudinal movement of the rolls'.

On the inner face and at the upper end of the panel 8 is mounted a pair of latch fingers 17 adapted to coi-operate with companion latch rollers 19 mounted on the top wall 3 of the body 2 to maintain the panel in a substantially Y vertical position.

On the outer face of the panel 8 is a plurality of louvers 18 having their upper edges secured to ilanges 20 formed rat the upper ends of the slits 14, the louvers overlying and concealing the slits 14 from View when the apparatus is installed. The lower edges 21 of the louvers may serve as tearing edges or surfaces to facilitate the tearing oi of paper sheets of the desired length from the rolls.

The Wall joints of most houses and buildings have their centers spaced substantially sixteen inches apart. Accordingly, it is preferred that the width of the body 2 be such that the latter may be inserted between two adjacent walls 5 of the body may be provided with openings 23 for the 'accommodation of means such as nails 24 or the like which may be driven into the joists to secure the apparatus in place. When the apparatus is so installed, the body flange 4a and the panel ilanges 12 and 13 will overlie the plaster or other wall covering 25 as is shown in Figure 3 so that any rough edges around the opening in the Wall will be obscured.

To condition the apparatus for use, the closure member 7 may be swung about the hinge 4to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 and rolls of paper such as toweling, aluminum foil, and wax paper positioned on the several shelves 15. Each roll should be so positioned that the leading end of the paper is advanced forwardly and substantially tangentially from the upper surface of the roll and threaded lthrough the corresponding slits 14. Thereafter, the panel 7 may be returned to its vertical position where it will be maintained by the latch assembly. When it is desired to obtain a piece of paper from any of the rolls, the leading end o f the paper may be grasped by the user and pulled downwardly until a sheet of the desired length has been umolled. Thereafter, the edge 21 of the associated louver may be used to tear the sheet from the remainder of the roll.

The inclination of the shelves 115 to the panel 8 is such that a roll supported on a shelf constantly is in engagement not only with the shelf, but also with the panel 8. Moreover, the direction of feed of the paper from a roll is such that withdrawal of paper rotates the roll in a direction towards the panel When the withdrawal of the paper ceases, the roll will be maintained in engagement with the panel 8. and there will be no tendency of the paper to roll back, thereby eliminating the likelihood of having the leading end of the paper withdrawn into the interior of the body due to movement of the roll. Secause the paper is fed forwardly and tangentially from the upper surface of a roll, the tendency of the leading section of the paper is to coil in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2. Counterclockwise coiling of the paper will overcome any tendency of the latter to be retracted into the body due to the curvature of the paper. With Vsome paper, such as relatively heavy towelling having a fairly large diameter roll, it may be desirable to provide means such as an arcuate flange 25 to extend slightly above the slit 14 so as positively tov prevent retraction of the paper into the body due to the tendency of the paper to coil. Where the use of the ange 25 is desired, it may have its lower end welded or otherwise `secured to the flange 15a and its upper end should be reversely turned as at 26 so as to present a smooth edge over which the paper may be drawn.

The disclosed embodiment is representative of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, but is intended to be illustrative rather than deiinitive thereof inasmuch as the invention is susceptible of modification. For example, Iit is not essential that the particular body 2 be provided; it would be possible to eliminate some or all of the walls of the body and substitute therefor mounting tabs or ears or the like. The invention is defined in the claims. I

I claim:

1. A roll paper dispenser construction adapted for installation between two adjacent joists of `a building comprising a substantially hollow body having an open side; a closure member hingedly mounted on said body Hush with said open side for closing said open side, said closure member being of larger area than said open side so as to extend beyond all edges of the latter, said closure member having at least one slit therein; and paper roll supporting means mounted on said closure member in a position to be within said body when said open side is closed by said closure member, said supporting means comprising a shelf and means mounting said shelf on said closure member in such position as -to form with said closure member a substantially V-shaped receptacle for a paper roll when said-open side is closedby said closure member,

said body having other openings therein for the accommodation of means for securing said body to said adjacent joists. f

2. The construction set forth in claim 1 including means at the ends of said shelf for preventing movement of said paper roll longitudinally of its axis.

3. The construction setforth in claim l including means mounted on said closure member adjacent to said slit iand overlying` the latter to conceal said slit and to present a tearing edge for paper extending through said slit.

, 4. The construction set forth in claim l wherein said closure member is provided with a plurality of slits and a corresponding plurality of paper roll supporting shelves.

Referenceslfited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 551,138 McGowan Dec. 10, 1895 637,203 Haddox Nov. 14, 1899 824,323 Wilson June 26, 1906 1,268,222 Dwyer .Tune 4, 1918 2,146,038 West Feb. 7, 1939 2,626,761 Simpson et al. Jan. 27, V1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,721 Great Britain s of 1883 53,453 Germany Sept. 8, 1890 

